Hwange Colliery to set up coal depot in Zambia

HWANGE Colliery Ltd has set aside US$2 million for the establishment of a coal depot in Zambia to enhance the supply of its products to the mining industry in that country.Company corporate affairs advisor Burzil Dube disclosed the development in Ndola, the commercial capital of Zambia’s Copperbelt this week saying that there was demand for coal by the mining industry in Zambia.
Dube said it was the high demand of the commodity that had prompted the company to consider setting up a coal depot in Zambia.
He said Hwange exported between 200 tonnes to 300 tonnes of coal per month to the mining companies in Zambia. He said the company was awaiting response on the acquisition of land where the depot would be located.
“Once we are allocated land, we are ready to put up a depot within the course of this year to be located here in Ndola. Our budget for the depot is US$2 million,” he said.
Dube said this at the just-ended Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Ndola.
“We want to be closer to our clients as they are mostly concentrated here in the Copperbelt province,” he said.
This year’s 48th ZITF theme was: “Creating synergies beyond borders.”
Dube said Zambia was one of the biggest markets for Hwange’s product which was mostly imported by the mining industry, adding that the company also exported coal to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He said the company was exhibiting for the fourth year at the Zambia International Trade Fair.
Dube commended President Michael Sata on his call for Zimbabwean companies to exhibit at this year’s trade fair.
“Some Zimbabwean companies are participating for the first time following President Sata’s appeal when he officially opened the Zimbabwean International Trade Fair,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kishen Enterprises Limited of Tanzania, which was participating at the Ndola fair for the first time, is marketing its agriculture equipment in Zambia.
Company marketing and branding manager Vivian Mohan said the firm has been exporting agricultural products into Zambia.
Mohan said the company was exhibiting various machinery in the agriculture industry. –– Daily Mail.